Killarney student in All-Ireland poetry final

POETRY ALOUD: Students Dáire O’Brien and Jack Greaney, pictured with teacher Mary Denise Lyons, took part in the Poetry Aloud competition with Dáire through to the All-Ireland final on December 6. Photo: Michelle Crean

By Michelle Crean

One Killarney student is happy to speak ‘Poetry Aloud’- and his talents have secured him a place in an All-Ireland final next week.

Three students from St Brendan’s College, Fifth Year student Giordano Diro, Transition Year student Jack Greaney and Second Year student Dáire O’Brien, reached the semi-final of the annual ‘Poetry Aloud’ competition held in the National Library in Kildare Street in Dublin on Friday last.

The poetry speaking competition is aimed at post-primary schools, organised by Poetry Ireland and the National Library of Ireland in partnership with University College Cork.

The boys went up against students from schools all over Ireland and had to recite two poems each in their age categories. However, just one, Dáire, made it to the final which takes place next Friday December 6. He is now hoping to win the Junior category which includes a €300 prize and book tokens to the value of €300 for the winner’s school library.

“They had to do two poems, one set poem and one chosen and had to bring out the meaning of it,” teacher Mary Denise Lyons, told the Killarney Advertiser.

“Up to 2,000 students entered the competition and just over 100 made it to the semi-final, with 30 in the final in the different age categories.”

An overall winner will be chosen from the three category winners and will receive a further €200, the Seamus Heaney perpetual trophy and a signed book of poetry. The runner up in each category will receive a book token and certificates of participation will be presented to all finalists.